A/N hey i'm sorry this took so long to update but i've been busy preparing for my new job! Hope you enjoy.

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Sam woke earlier than usual, rubbing his sore back. Last night he had slept in the same room as Spence because she had been so overwhelmed by all that had happened and at first he had been reluctant but eventually agreed. To his surprise, the girl had laid out a bed for him on the floor and had gone to sleep clutching his hand. Sam blinked, looking through sleepy eyes round the room for her sleeping form. It was gone. Gone. The boy shot to his feet and quickly pulled on his shirt checking the bed again only to find it empty apart from a note addressed to him in Spence's neat handwriting.

Dear sam,

In the short time that we have known each other, I feel that we have grown close and I trust you. That's why I ask that you look after my sister for me as I have gone to do the right thing. I am returning the map to Mr Laws. Do not try to stop me for I have taken my sister's sword for protection, and I hope that I will see you soon.

Spence (Carolyn.)

Sam gulped. Spence had gone. Why would she do something like that? Was she stupid? The old pirate was surely going to kill her this time. No, she wasn't stupid; she was naïve. Spence saw only the good in people, and she probably thought that if she gave the map back then he would leave them all alone. He pulled on his boots and ran off to where the captain lay sleeping. Sam really had no desire to cause the captain any distress, but she had to know what her sister had done.

…

There was a tense, angry silence in the room. Miss Georgie had not taken the news well, even in her barely conscious state and once the effects of the sleeping draft had fully worn off she was in no mood to be trifled with. The intense pain in her side had only amplified her mood. She glared at Joker. God, but she was actually going to kill him this time. This time she meant it. This was his fault. If he could just keep his thieving hands to himself, then her naïve sister would not have gone to return what he stole to save his arse. Miss Georgie fumed, suspecting it was not the first time her sister had had to get Joker out of situations before. After all, how many times had she had to bail her lover out? And he still owed her for the last thing she had helped him out with. Joker looked at her as she sat in silence seething and tried to approach. He reached out and cupped her face with his hand.

"Georgie…" he said in a soothing voice. But it was anything but soothing. Miss Georgie was upset with him, and the idiot didn't even realise.

Joker's hand went to his bloodied nose, his mouth wide in surprise. "Georgie, what the hell?" his voice was full of disbelief that his lover would hit him.

"This is your entire fault! If you hadn't of got us involved in your mess…" the pirate captain spat angrily, clutching her side tightly.

"My mess? Nobody told Spence to go! Nobody told you to help me either!" Joker returned, getting more and more defensive.

"No, no body told us to help you! But we do because we care you stupid bastard! Argh…nnn!" Miss Georgie shot back before falling to her knees in agony.

Nutjob rushed forward, taking his captain gently by her shoulders and guiding her back to the low wooden bed. He told her in hushed tones that she must be still and not aggravate the wound further than and as impossible as it was to try to remain calm. Isaac glanced at his god daughter and then to her lover. Just what did she see in him? He lit his pipe and focused his attention on Joker. Joker looked at him with a hint of fear in his eyes. The two did not get on and it was if the pirate knew the Navy Captain was going to give him a piece of his mind.

"You know joker, why either of my nieces cares for you is a total mystery to me." The Navy captain shot him a poisonous stare. "You're an arsehole." Joker remained silent, so Isaac continued. "Now, perhaps you could enlighten me as to why Mr Laws is so interested in Carolyn? Because I've been tracking him for the past two years and his interest in her is unnatural. Well?"

Joker sighed. He knew he would have to tell them at some point, but he never thought it would be like this. In all truth he hoped he would never have to tell them, but he had to. He glanced at Miss Georgie and told her to remain calm because she would not like what he had to say, and his lover promptly told him drop dead. Joker sat down on a stool.

"Two years ago, I came across a runaway collapsed in a gutter. Back then, Spence was just Carolyn a 14 year old runaway I took under my wing. One night when playing cards, I lost a game to a captain known only as Mister Laws. When I asked what he wanted from me, he looked straight at the girl and said he wanted her. I refused, even telling him that she was my sister but he would not back down." Joker looked guiltily at his lover. She was not going to like the fact that he had lied to her. "It was that night that I brought her to you, Georgie. When she let us cut her hair and dress in her boys clothes. She even chose a new name to go by. I did it to keep her safe! I care about Spence! I did it because I care!"

"Joker, you lied to me! You said you were dressing her as a boy so she would fit in on the ship! " Miss Georgie rose from the bed and crossed the small distance to her lover. It took all her strength to do so. "Why did you not just tell me the truth?! I could have done so much more if I had known the truth! Do you not trust me?"

Joker could not bring his brown eyes to meet her crimson ones. "I do, but…"

"But what?" his lover demanded.

Miss Georgie felt the room closing in on her. She couldn't stay mad any longer. It took all her strength to do so. She went to speak to Joker again, but instead just collapsed against his shirt front unconscious. Joker held her tight and gently lowered her to the floor. He brushed her magenta curls back from her feverish face. How pale she was now, and he hadn't helped the situation. Both Isaac and Nutjob came running and dropped to their knees.

"George!"

"Captain!"

"Georgie please," Joker begged. "open your eyes."

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